News
PWR Round 6 Preview
Round 6 of Premiership Women’s Rugby features an intriguing West Country derby and some familiar names returning to action.
It all kicks off at Sandy Park where Exeter Chiefs host Bristol Bears, before champions Gloucester Hartpury welcome Trailfinders Women to Kingsholm.
Saturday’s final game sees Harlequins travel to Leicester Tigers before Saracens host Loughborough Lightning on Sunday.
SATURDAY 6 DECEMBER
Exeter Chiefs v Bristol Bears – Sandy Park - 1pm, live on YouTube
Bristol Bears will hope Hannah Botterman can inspire a return to winning ways as they travel to face Exeter Chiefs.
The World Cup-winning Red Roses prop comes in for her first start of the season at Sandy Park, while Elliann Clarke does likewise at tighthead.
Savannah Picton-Powell makes her first PWR start at inside centre, allowing Black Ferns star Ruahei Demant to switch to fly-half as Bears look to end a three-game losing streak.
The hosts have two wins, two draws and a defeat from their first five games and sit third heading into the weekend.
Injuries to Maddie Feaunati (shoulder), Claudia Moloney-MacDonald (wrist) and Gabriella Nigrelli (calf) force changes, with Emily Robinson switching to No.8 and Dorothy Wall coming in for her first start since recovering from a ruptured Achilles.
In the backs, Sabrina Poulin switches from the wing to full-back with Alex Tessier moving to outside centre and Gabby Cantorna coming in at inside centre. Francesca Granzotto gets a starting berth on the wing.
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Sabrina Poulin, 14 Katie Buchanan, 13 Alexandra Tessier, 12 Gabby Cantorna, 11 Francesca Granzotto, 10 Liv McGoverne, 9 Flo Robinson (vc); 1 Hope Rogers, 2 Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, 3 Amy Rule, 4 Linda van der Velden, 5 Abby Duguid, 6 Dorothy Wall, 7 Maisy Allen (vc), 8 Emily Robinson (c)
Replacements: 16 Emily Tuttosi, 17 Demi Swann, 18 DaLeaka Menin, 19 Lola Whitley, 20 Zoë Dare, 21 Lucy Nye, 22 Naomi Brennan, 23 Maddie Flutey
Bristol Bears: 15 Ella Lovibond, 14 Reneeqa Bonner, 13 Emma Orr, 12 Savannah Picton-Powell, 11 Millie David, 10 Ruahei Demant, 9 Keira Bevan; 1 Hannah Botterman, 2 Amy Dale, 3 Elliann Clarke, 4 Hollie Cunningham, 5 Abbie Ward (c), 6 Christiana Balogun, 7 Jenny Herring, 8 Evie Gallagher
Replacements: 16 Heidi Pashei-Tarighoun, 17 Simi Pam, 18 Aisha Jah, 19 Talia John, 20 Gwennan Hopkins, 21 Tilly Ryall, 22 Lucie Skuse, 23 Jasmine Joyce
Referee: Henry Pearson
Assistant Referees: Jenny Burrows and TBC
Oval Insights
Exeter Chiefs
- Exeter Chiefs Women have won 40 scrums from 49 attempts this season (both 1st in league).
- Maisy Allen has scored 5 tries this season (joint most in league) and made 99 successful tackles (most in Premiership).
- Emily Robinson leads the league in attacking ruck entries with 143 this season and 33 in the latest round (both 1st in Premiership).
- Hope Rogers dominated the latest round with 7 dominant contacts (most in round) and 29 post-contact metres (3rd in round).
Bristol Bears
- Bristol Bears Women average 4.3 metres per carry this season (1st in league) and have won 18 jackals (most in Premiership).
- Sarah Bern leads the carrying statistics with 23 dominant contacts and 128 post-contact metres this season (both 1st in league).
- Evie Gallagher has made 9 offloads this season (7th in league) and leads the Premiership with 7 turnovers won.
- Millie David has scored 4 tries this season (5th in league) and averages an impressive 12.9 metres per carry (1st in league).
Gloucester Hartpury v Trailfinders Women – Kingsholm – 3.05pm – live on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+
Reigning champions Gloucester Hartpury have enjoyed a dream start to the PWR season and now welcome Trailfinders Women to Kingsholm.
It was a big summer for Trailfinders, bringing in a host of big names, notably Red Roses standout Meg Jones and Scotland skipper Rachel Malcolm.
The flanker will lead the side this weekend against the Circus alongside Haidee Head and Abi Burton, with Kate Zackary dropping to the bench.
Jones will find herself up against a number of her World Cup-winning teammates, with Zoe Stratford returning to the starting XV, co-captaining with Mo Hunt.
Gloucester Hartpury come into the game off the back of a 54-14 win away to Bristol Bears, while Trailfinders were well-beaten at home to Saracens.
Team News
Gloucester Hartpury: 15 Emma Sing, 14 Rachel Lund, 13 Hannah Dallavalle, 12 Jade Shekells, 11 Nel Metcalfe, 10 Lleucu George, 9 Natasha Hunt (cc); 1 El Perry, 2 Kelsey Jones, 3 Maud Muir, 4 Sarah Beckett, 5 Steph Else, 6 Kate Williams, 7 Bethan Lewis, 8 Zoe Stratford (cc)
Replacements: 16 Neve Jones, 17 Niamh O’Dowd, 18 Sisilia Tuipulotu, 19 Sam Monaghan, 20 Tabitha Copson, 21 Meg Davies, 22 Molly Bunker, 23 Lizzie Goulden
Trailfinders Women: 15 Rosie Inman, 14 Grace White, 13 Meg Jones, 12 Jess Cooksey, 11. Vicky Laflin, 10 Claire Gallagher, 9 Brooke Bradley, 1 Alivia Leatherman, 2 Cristina Blanco, 3 Maya Montiel, 4 Emma Taylor, 5 Alana Borland, 6 Rachel Malcolm (cc), 7 Haidee Head, 8 Abi Burton
Replacements: 16 Georgia Ponsonby, 17 Cana Williams, 18 Cassandra Tuffnail, 19 Maia Roos, 20 Shya Pinnock, 21 Kate Zackary (cc), 22 Niamh Gallagher, 23 Isla Norman-Bell
Referee: Nikki O’Donnell
Assistant Referees: Jamie Leahy & Mike Woods
Oval Insights
Gloucester-Hartpury
- Gloucester-Hartpury Women lead the league with 83.9% goal kick success rate this season while providing 21 try assists (1st in both categories).
- Emma Sing leads the league with 20 successful goals and 527 carry distance this season.
- Natasha Hunt has provided 9 try assists this season (most in the Premiership) and made 2 box kicks in the latest round (3rd in round).
- Sam Monaghan leads the Premiership with 4 lineout steals this season, including 2 in the latest round (most in round).
Trailfinders Women
- Trailfinders Women won 100% of their scrums in the latest round (1st in round) and have made 20 box kicks this season (most in league).
- Meg Jones led the latest round's attack statistics with 5 offloads and 7 defenders beaten (both most in round).
- Abi Burton has made 66 successful tackles (3rd in league) and won 6 turnovers this season (2nd in league).
Leicester Tigers v Harlequins - Mattioli Woods Welford Road – 5:05pm – Live on YouTube
Round 6 of Premiership Women’s Rugby gives both Leicester Tigers and Harlequins the opportunity to kick-start their respective seasons in this titanic tussle at the bottom of the table.
The home side currently sit ninth in the standings after four straight PWR defeats and will be desperate to halt their losing run and deliver a strong performance in front of the Mattioli Woods Welford Road faithful.
Fraser Goatcher has selected South African hooker Micke Gunter ahead of Alana Bainbridge, while Nadine Vincent and Deni Ross also come into the pack.
Meanwhile, Quins, who have suffered two close defeats during their last two league games and sit seventh, know a win will see them cut the gap to the sides chasing those all-important play-off spots.
Ross Chisholm has made five changes to his side which includes Silvia Turani coming in to start at loosehead prop while Fi McIntosh returns from injury to take her place in the second row.
England international Amelia Kolev is set to make her first Quins appearance since June 2024 while Lauren Torley joins Beth Wilcock and Ellie Kildunne in the back three.
Team News
Leicester Tigers: 15 Tess Feury (C), 14 Charlotte Daley, 13 Emily Henrich, 12 Georgie Lingham, 11 Karolina Kacirkova, 10 Kristin Bitter, 9 Eneka Labeyrie; 1 Ellie Smith, 2 Micke Gunter, 3 Nadine Vincent, 4 Deni Ross, 5 Emerson Allen, 6 Jordan Russell, 7 Morgan Richardson, 8 Tiana Gordon
Replacements: 16 Alana Bainbridge, 17 Lauren Poole, 18 Clodagh Dunne, 19 Hermione Farmer, 20 Alicia Watkins, 21 Zara Pickwick, 22 Abileigh Priestnall, 23 Amelie Anstead
Harlequins: 15 Ellie Kildunne, 14 Lauren Torley, 13 Claudia Pena, 12 Sarah Parry, 11 Beth Wilcock, 10 Ella Cromack, 9 Lucy Packer; 1 Silvia Turani, 2 Carys Phillips, 3 Lizzie Hanlon, 4 Fi McIntosh, 5 Jade Konkel (C), 6 Nicole Wythe, 7 Amelia Kolev, 8 Liana Mikaele-Tu'u
Replacements: 16 Connie Powell, 17 Jessie Spurrier, 18 Ruby Winstanley, 19 Abbie Fleming, 20 Maja Meuller, 21 Lucy Burgess, 22 Kayleigh Powell, 23 Freya Aucken
Referee: Andy Wigley
Assistant Referees: Rosanna Procter & Simon Park
Oval Insights
Leicester Tigers
- Leicester Tigers Women achieved 91.7% lineout success in the latest round (1st in round) and retained 11.1% of their restarts (1st in round).
- Jordan Russell made 36 ruck entries in the latest round (most in round) and 6 dominant contacts (joint 2nd in round).
- Georgie Lingham has won 4 tackle turnovers this season (most in league) and made 18 successful tackles in the latest round (3rd in round).
- Jemima McCalman led the latest round with 2 interceptions (most in round) and added 136 carry distance (6th in round).
Harlequins
- Harlequins Women have made 6 interceptions this season (most in league) and rank 2nd for box kicks with 14.
- Lucy Packer leads the Premiership with 13 box kicks this season and averages 3.4 box kicks per 80 minutes (3rd in league).
- Ellie Kildunne has made 299 carrying metres (4th in league) and won 5 turnovers this season (6th in league).
- Carys Phillips has stolen 2 lineouts this season (3rd in league) and averages 29.6 attacking ruck entries per 80 minutes (1st in league).
SUNDAY 7 NOVEMBER
Saracens v Loughborough Lightning – StoneX Stadium – 3pm – live on BBC iPlayer
Kelsey Clifford will hope to keep Saracens’ winning streak going for her 100th appearance for the north London club as they welcome Loughborough Lightning.
Sarries are currently undefeated in four games since their opening day loss to Gloucester Hartpury, placing them second in the table after five games.
Having defeated Trailfinders Women 57-5 last time out, there is some change for Saracens with upcoming centurion Clifford moved across to tighthead which sees Liz Crake start against her former club at loosehead.
There is also room for Gabrielle Senft to make her first start since the World Cup final at No.8.
Having played just four matches so far this season, Lightning also have form on their side as they remain undefeated in their last three.
They make six changes from their 50-15 victory over Leicester Tigers with USA international Rachel Ehrecke earning her first PWR start in the second row.
Team News
Saracens: 15 Jess Breach, 14 Alysha Corrigan, 13 Beth Blacklock, 12 Emma Hardy, 11 Sydney Gregson, 10 Zoe Harrison, 9 Olivia Apps; 1 Liz Crake, 2 May Campbell, 3 Kelsey Clifford, 4 Rosie Galligan, 5 Poppy Cleall, 6 Julia Omokhuale, 7 Marlie Packer, 8 Gabrielle Senft
Replacements: 16 Bryony Field, 17 Carmen Tremelling, 18 Donna Rose, 19 Louise McMillan, 20 Georgia Evans, 21 Tori Sellors, 22 Sophie Bridger, 23 Jemma-Jo Linkins
Loughborough Lightning: 15 Lucia Scott, 14 Fancy Bermudez, 13 Alev Kelter, 12 Carmela Morrall, 11 Bo Westcombe-Evans, 10 Helen Nelson, 9 Lis Maude; 1 Anne Young, 2 Lucy Calladine, 3 Mae Sagapolu, 4 Lilli Ives Campion, 5 Rachel Ehrecke, 6 Daisy Hibbert-Jones, 7 Sadia Kabeya, 8 Haineala Lutui
Replacements: 16 Kathryn Treder, 17 Amelia Williams, 18 Christine Belisle, 19 Becky Boyd, 20 Keevy Fitzpatrick, 21 Tahlia Brody, 22 Megan Davey, 23 Lia Green
Referee: Michael Lamb
Assistant referees: Kieron Henry and Darryl Chapman
Oval Insights
Saracens
- Saracens Women lead the Premiership with 36 tries scored and 230 total points this season (1st in league).
- Poppy Cleall has made 16 offloads this season (most in the league) while also beating 20 defenders (3rd in league).
- Sydney Gregson recorded 3 initial breaks in the latest round (most in round) and ranks 5th in the league for metres made with 288.
- Saracens Women have gained 2,816 carry metres this season (1st in league) with May Campbell leading their set-piece with 37 lineout throws won (most in league).
Loughborough Lightning
- Loughborough Lightning retained 40.0% of their kicks in the latest round and 19.7% across the season (both 1st in league).
- Bo Westcombe Evans topped the scoring charts in the latest round with 4 tries and 20 points (both most in round).
- Alev Kelter has beaten 29 defenders this season (most in league) and added 6 more in the latest round (2nd in round).
- Lilli Ives Campion has made 8 dominant tackle contacts this season and 3 in the latest round (both leading the Premiership).
Partners
Close
Join the PWR
Sign-up to receive all the latest updates and news from the world‘s premier women‘s club rugby competition.
